This course will cover the history of the "Middle East" as a historical, geographic, political, and cultural category. It will be framed by the historical construction of the category in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, then reach back to the advent of Islam in the seventh century CE and forward to the present. Themes will include the Middle East in the Mediterranean world, religion and politics, interconfessional relationships and conflicts, and the changing relationships to Europe, Asia, and Africa over the centuries.

Special focus will be given throughout the semester to cities, urban life, urban culture and development in the medieval, early modern, and modern periods. Instructor bio: Dr. Firuzan Melike Sümertaş's research focuses on the urban/architectural/visual culture of the late Ottoman Empire and its capital city Istanbul, with a particular interest in the Greek-Orthodox community. She holds a PhD. in History from Boğaziçi University, Istanbul and B.Arch and M.A degrees from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Department of Architecture, and Program in Architectural History. Her current project in the History Department of UC Berkeley under the umbrella of the Istanpolis collaboration led by Prof. Christine Philliou, focuses on utilizing digital humanities tools for urban/architectural historical research.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills